Will Ferrell and his producing/directed partner Adam McKay are currently doing the press rounds promoting “Step Brothers” (co-starring John C. Reilly), so naturally, talk is deviating to the much-discussed, but gone-nowhere so-far idea of an “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” sequel (face it, you can talk about “Step Brothers” for about three minutes or so and then you’re bored).
Much like ‘Anchorman’ producer Judd Apatow has already said, the comedy duo told have been kicking an idea around in their head over beers, which Entertainment Weekly amusingly translates into: ” ‘Anchorman 2′ being developed,” because hell, it’s a slow week. McKay told EW the story “could” jump ahead a decade to the ’80s, and by “could,” he means they’ve been tossing ideas around back and forth and it could go that way. (but call the project “in development” if you wish, but pass a brewski and I raise you $10 bucks on this hand). Apparently now that they’re popular they can do whatever they want storywise. “The audience will now allow us to do even crazier stuff,” McKay said “and that’s really all we’re looking for in our careers” (considering how demented “Step Brothers” was, at least he’s being sincere).
In May, McKay told Collider that they’d love to do ‘Anchorman 2,’ but it’s probably two years off and they’d have to get the cast back together (not to mention decide on an actual idea and then write the screenplay). In March, Judd Apatow told MTV, “The movie that probably has a best shot at a sequel is ‘Anchorman.’ Ron Burgundy would be hilarious at 70-years-old, being the anchor” (clearly no idea is set in stone).
Wait about five minutes and you’ll hear about four-five more version of the same story.
We just had so much fun making that movie, and it was hard to get made, but what’s been great is that it’s taken on such a life of its own,” Ferrell admitted. “At least the feedback we get is it’s beloved, so yeah, it’s just one of those that feels like an evergreen thing that we can go back and do it again.”
“We had a lot of ideas. The opportunity to be that free and loose. The audience would give us a lot of rope with that character at this point, a lot of free rein. They all know it, and they all know it’s going to get crazy, and that’s just too tempting. It’s like oh my God, where can we go? What’s the next level of this idea we can push to?,” McKay similarly said to ComingSoon.
The ’80s again has been discussed. “We got about seven ideas we’re kicking around right now, so somewhere out of all of them, it will somehow fit together.”
Ferrell told ComingSoon the reason behind doing the project is that it would simply be fun. “We just had so much fun making that movie, and it was hard to get made, but what’s been great is that it’s taken on such a life of its own. At least the feedback we get is it’s beloved, so yeah, it’s just one of those that feels like an evergreen thing that we can go back and do it again.”
Developing indeed… If you’re camping out for this one, you better stock lots of blankets, water and food.
PS. It appears that Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly improvised their way through most of “Step Brothers” which make perfect fucking sense if you’ve seen the loose and scattershot film (that’s not to say it wasn’t funny).
Watch: “Time To Musk Up” – Introducing “Sex Panther”
Watch: Ron Burgundy & The Channel 4 News team – “Afternoon Delight” (the music video)